Are foreclosures on the increase in Anchorage?

I have been wondering whether foreclosure rates are rising. In recent months I seem to be receiving more properties from institutional owners after they foreclose on them. It could be another sign of a market that is making a transition to more normal conditions.

I'm not seeing a glut of foreclosures. A small proportion of any loan investor's portfolio will fail to perform, no matter how strong a market is.

None of these properties is from Alaska Housing Finance. They are a more conservative investor, with a reputation for higher property standards. Delinquency rates for homes financed by AHFC, an early indicator of the health of any loan portfolio, rarely top four percent. AHFC only forclosed on 19 properties through July this year, compared with 18 for the same seven months of last year.

AHFC's multifamily loan portfolio, by contrast, showed a 3.70% delinquency at the end of July, compared with 2.07% in July, 2005. All through 2005 loan delinquency in the AHFC multifamily portfolio was at the low two percent level. This year it's been over three percent in four of the first seven months of the year.

Other more adventuresome lenders, by contrast, may have more of their loans getting into trouble. That could explain why I'm marketing more foreclosed homes and small income properties now.

By the way, I publish upcoming listings, including foreclosures, on the front page of my web site at this URL: http://www.reals8.com/index.html#comingsoon. There are some asset management sites that show me as the upcoming marketing representative on their properties, too. This is often weeks and sometimes months ahead of the property being cleaned, appraised and otherwise made ready for market, with a list price and available for offers.

So I make it my practice to note the names and phone numbers or Email addresses of anyone who wants to know about these properties on the first official listing day. I'm diligent about this. Such people have taken the trouble to let me know of their interest, so it's just professional courtesy, I believe, to see that they get the earliest opportunity.

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